FAYETTEVILLE -- A Fayetteville man pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder Thursday for shooting a neighbor after a fight last year.
Landon Joseph Schilling, 23, was sentenced in Washington County Circuit Court to 30 years at the Arkansas Department of Correction with 10 years suspended, leaving 20 years to serve, as part of a plea bargain. Schilling had been charged with attempted capital murder.
Schilling must serve at least one-quarter of the sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.
Schilling was arrested May 9, 2015, after Melvin Smith, 36, was shot while standing in his doorway at 1341 E. Fairlane St. in the early morning hours.
Smith's wife and 11-year-old daughter were standing behind him when he was shot in the abdomen, according to a police report. Smith was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center.
Before going to the hospital, Smith told police he and a friend argued with residents at Schilling's address because they had called them "racially offensive names," according to a police report.
Police found Schilling in the front yard of his residence. Police also found a 9mm magazine with 10 rounds on Schilling, according to the report. The police report said the gun used was a black, Hi-Point 9mm rifle.
Police talked with Schilling's roommate and his roommate's girlfriend who said Schilling had been in a fight with "a group of black males" earlier in the day.
The pair told police Schilling was angry about the earlier altercation and walked to where the men lived carrying a gun, then returned a few minutes later and told them he had shot someone in the chest.
Schilling denied any involvement or knowledge of the shooting when talking to police, according to the report.
Schilling faced up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
Metro on 07/01/2016